Housing in Hida
Kayabuki Thatch-Roofed Houses
In Hida, the style of one’s abode depends on whether one lives in the north which receives a heavy snowfall, in the very windy south, or in a castle town such as Hida City or Takayama City.
The thatch-roofed houses of this region can be divided into two types: ‘Kirizuma’ which is a simple style A-frame building with a gable roof, and ‘Irimoya-gassho’, otherwise known as the East-Asian hip-and-gable roof, which adds protruding covered ends to the simple A-frame.
The material used in making a thatched roof is the tall susuki grass, or Miscanthus sinensis, which grows profusely in and around the village. Being hardy against snow, it is especially suited to roofing. Each year, maintenance is carried out, so that the thatched roof lasts for about 30~50 years.